Rookie WR Amari Cooper's 40-yard catch set up a Raiders touchdown. Photo by Tony Gonzales/Raiders.com.
The Oakland Raiders fell to the Minnesota Vikings 20-12 in 2015 Preseason Week 2 action at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on the campus of the University of Minnesota.
The Raiders won the opening coin toss and deferred their choice to the start of the 3rdquarter. WR Cordarrelle Patterson watched K Sebastian Janikowski's opening kickoff go for a touchback and the Vikings started at the 20 with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback. The Vikings drove to the Oakland 46 before the Raiders forced a punt. P Jeff Locke's 44-yard punt was downed at the Oakland 2.
Derek Carr opened at quarterback for the Raiders. The Raiders went three and out and Marquette King came on to punt. Tight end Mychal Rivera downed the 35-yard punt at the Oakland 38.
The Raiders defense shut the Vikings down and forced a 4th and 6. The Vikings decided to go for it and converted. The Raiders defense eventually forced a field goal attempt. K Blair Walsh's 35-yard kick was no good and the Raiders took over at the 25 with 5:46 left in the 1st quarter.
The Raiders got the ball moving with effective running by RB Latavius Murray. A Carr 40-yard pass to WR Amari Cooper gave the Raiders a 1st and goal at the Vikings 8. Murray finished off the 6-play, 75-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion failed and the Raiders led 6-0 with 3:22 left in the 1st quarter.
Janikowski's ensuing kickoff sailed out of bounds and the Vikings started at the Minnesota 40. The Vikings tied the game with a 10-yard TD pass from Bridgewater to WR Charles Johnson. The extra point kick try was no good and the game remained tied 6-6 with 14:14 left in the 2nd quarter.
After running back Trent Richardson fielded and returned a short kickoff, the Raiders went three-and-out. The Vikings started at the Minnesota 27 after the King punt and no return thanks to a great tackle by CB Chimdi Chekwa.
Shaun Hill entered the game at quarterback. The Raiders allowed one first down before forcing a punt. The Locke punt was downed at the Oakland 16. The Raiders picked up one first down before the Vikings forced a punt. King's 65-yard punt bounced into the end zone for a touchback.
The game was suspended due to weather with 6:45 left in the 2nd quarter. The players went to the locker room and the fans took to the concourses for shelter.
The game resumed at 9:15 Central, 7:15 PT after a one hour and five minute delay.
Safety Jonathan Dowling got the ball back for the Raiders with an interception and the Raiders took over at the Oakland 38. A 39-yard pass from quarterback Christian Ponder to WR Seth Roberts put the Raiders at the Vikings 9. The Raiders were forced to settle for a K Giorgio Tavecchio field goal attempt. The 26-yard kick was good and the Raiders led 9-6 with 2:07 left in the 2nd quarter.
Tavecchio's ensuing kickoff flew out of the back of the end zone for a touchback. The Vikings took the lead with a 4-yard TD pass from Hill to TE Chase Ford. The extra point was good and the Vikings led 13-9 with 8 ticks left in the 2nd quarter.
The ensuing kickoff went for a touchback after an unnecessary roughness penalty on safety Brandian Ross during the touchdown was assessed on the kickoff. Ponder took a knee.
The teams resumed play after a 4-minute abbreviated half. The opening kickoff of the third quarter sailed over Trindon Holliday's head for a touchback and the Raiders started at the 20.
The Raiders drove to the Vikings 35 and went for it on 4th and 3. Ponder was unable to convert and the Vikings took over at the 36. Taylor Heinicke entered the game at quarterback. The Raiders got the ball back after a sack/fumble DE Shelby Harris recovered at the Minnesota 29. LB Ben Heeney and DE Mario Edwards Jr combine on the sack.
The Raiders were forced to settle for a Tavecchio field goal attempt. The 37-yard kick cut the Vikings lead to 13-12 with 5:25 left in the 3rd quarter.
Marcus Sherels returned the ensuing kickoff to the 41. A 5-yard penalty was tacked on to the end of the run and the Vikings started at the 46. The Raiders forced a 3-and-out and a Locke punt. Holliday called for a made a fair catch at the Oakland 12.
Matt McGloin entered the game at quarterback. McGloin's first pass was intercepted by LB Brian Peters and returned to the Oakland 1. Three plays later FB Blake Renaud cashed in on a 1-yard TD run. After a holding call made the kick a 43-yarder, the extra point was good and the Vikings led 20-12 with 2:42 left in the 3rd.
Holliday returned the ensuing kickoff to the Oakland 18. The Raiders drive stalled and P Steven Clark came on to punt the ball away. The punt flew into the end zone for a touchback and the Vikings started at the 25 after a penalty on the Raiders during the punt was assessed.
The Vikings settled for a 38-yard field goal attempt. The kick was no good and the Raiders took over at the 28. The Raiders drive was derailed by a facemask penalty and Clark came on to punt. WR Stefon Diggs returned the punt 29 yards and a penalty was tacked on to the end of the return. Minnesota took over at midfield.
Mike Kafka entered the game at quarterback. The Vikings settled for a 49-yard field goal attempt. Walsh missed another one and the Raiders took over at the 39. Cody Fajardo entered the game at quarterback. Fajardo was unable to lead a scoring drive as his 3rd and long pass was intercepted by Josh Thomas. The Vikings took over with 16 seconds left.
The Raiders fall to 1-1 on the preseason and return home to face the Arizona Cardinals on NBC Sunday Night Football.
Game Notes:
Wide receiver Andre Holmes, running back Roy Helu, Jr., fullback Jamize Olawale, linebacker Sio Moore and tight end Clive Walford did not dress for the Raiders.
Safety Antone Exum, Jr., tackle Carter Bykowski, center John Sullivan, tight end MyCole Pruitt and defensive tackle Shamar Stephen did not suit up for the Vikings.
